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Science & Mathematics

The Museum's collections hold thousands of objects related to chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and other sciences. Instruments range from early American telescopes to lasers. Rare glassware and other artifacts from the laboratory of Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen, are among the scientific treasures here. A Gilbert chemistry set of about 1937 and other objects testify to the pleasures of amateur science. Artifacts also help illuminate the social and political history of biology and the roles of women and minorities in science.

The mathematics collection holds artifacts from slide rules and flash cards to code-breaking equipment. More than 1,000 models demonstrate some of the problems and principles of mathematics, and 80 abstract paintings by illustrator and cartoonist Crockett Johnson show his visual interpretations of mathematical theorems.

This German silver semicircular protractor fits (and slides) within a rectangular brass frame. The protractor is graduated to half-degrees and marked by tens from 0° to 90° to 0° in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions. The frame is open on the interior except for an extension at the center, to which is screwed a German silver trapezoid with points extending from each side of the base. The trapezoid bears a signature: Crozet's Protractor. B. Pike & Son. N. York. Two sliding thumbscrews in the trapezoid piece permit four different brass scales to be attached. Each scale is rectangular and beveled on the graduated side. The first scale is 10.4 cm long (4-1/4 inches) and is marked from 0 to 13, with each mark divided into 10 parts. The second is the same length and marked in the same way but in the opposite direction (right to left). The third is not numbered; it is 9 cm (3-17/32 inches) long and divided into 17-1/2 sections, each divided into 10 parts. The fourth is 10.4 cm long and marked from 0 to 10.7, with each mark divided into 10 parts.

In 1831, Benjamin Pike (1777–1863) of New York took his eldest son, Benjamin Jr., into his business of retailing optical, mathematical, and philosophical instruments, renaming his firm "Benjamin Pike & Son." Son Daniel joined the firm in 1841, necessitating a change in name to "Benjamin Pike & Sons." The name reverted to the singular "Son" in 1843, when Benjamin Jr. established his own business. In 1850, the youngest son, Gardner, joined Benjamin Pike & Son, and the firm again was known as "Benjamin Pike & Sons." The business was called "Benjamin Pike's Son" from 1867 to 1916. Thus, this protractor was presumably made in the 1830s or 1840s. However, it was not advertised in Pike's 1848 or 1856 catalogs, nor is it listed in later Pike catalogs.

This form of protractor is associated with Claudius Crozet (1789–1864), a French civil engineer who taught at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY, from 1817 to 1823. Crozet served as principal engineer for the state of Virginia until 1832, was a founding faculty member of the Virginia Military Institute between 1837 and 1845, and surveyed roads, railways, and aqueducts throughout his life. The date Crozet devised this instrument is not known. By the late 19th century, it was widely publicized. The entry for "protractor" in Farrow's Military Encyclopedia reads in part: "Crozet's protractor . . . is named from its inventor, an officer of the United States Engineer Corps, and is considered the best among the various protractors yet devised. It may be used with the T-rule or straight edge. The feather edge is always set to the starting point and the line produced without puncturing the paper. The feather edge is the only metallic bearing upon the paper, small ivory projections on the underside of the frame keep the metal from contact with the paper and prevent soiling it." The "Crozet's protractor" illustrating the entry, and other depictions in various trade catalogs, do not have the arm and interchangeable scales on the lower edge of the instrument, however. Instead, they have thumbscrews and a vernier within the T-square frame housing the protractor.

Nonetheless, this instrument is not unique. In 1993, Christie's of London auctioned a Crozet's protractor exactly like this one and bearing the same maker's mark.

This particular instrument is very tarnished. John William Christopher Draper and James Christopher Draper of Pittsburgh donated it to the Smithsonian in 1973.

7) 1-5/8" red and blue crayons. There are also numerous broken pieces of crayons and pencil leads.

The donors' family was prominent in the history of American science. John William Draper (1811–1882) was a chemist who also made innovations in photography. He had three sons: John C. Draper (1835–1885), who was a physician and chemist; Henry Draper (1837–1882), who was an astronomical photographer; and Daniel Draper (1841–1931), who established the New York Meteorological Observatory in Central Park in 1868 and directed it until 1911.

This silver-colored metal instrument has eight columns, each revealing a perforated paper strip. On the right side of the strip, the perforations are numbered with the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, . . . 9. These numbers appear in windows at the bottom of the columns when terms are entered. On the left side of the strip there are 20 perforations with no number (ten of these are never seen). Beyond this, ten perforations are numbered on the left with a “1," ten with a “2,” and so forth to ten numbered “29.” These numbers to the left indicate terms to be carried. They appears in windows across the top of the adder. A zeroing handle is on the right. The instrument has a fold-up support and fits in a leather-covered, velvet-lined case. Two pencil stubs, one with a stylus, are also in the case.

The Russian J. Diakoff had suggested in 1829 that one might represent numbers on an adder by a long strip with regularly spaced holes. The New York journalist and inventor Charles Henry Webb picked up on this idea. He applied for a patent in the United States in 1886, received one in England in 1888, and patented the Webb ribbon adder in the United States in 1891. He sold this example to New York meteorologist Daniel Draper, but the device never proved popular. Webb also patented a small adding machine, marketed as the Webb adder, that was a more successful product.

References: P. Kidwell, “Scientists and Calculating Machines,” Annals of the History of Computing 12 (1990): 31-40.

P. Kidwell, "Adders Made and Used in the United States," Rittenhouse, 1994, 8:78-96.

This full-keyboard non-printing adding machine represents the successful adoption of mechanical aids to computation by American scientists. It was one of several computing devices owned by the meteorologist Daniel Draper. Draper used Comptometers in his work at the New York Meteorological Observatory from about 1886. He acquired this machine in 1914 or later.

The machine has a metal case painted brown and a metal mechanism, with eight columns of octagonal, color-coded plastic keys. Complementary digits are indicated on the keys. Keys for odd digits are concave, and those for even digits are flat. The length of the key stems increases going from front to back. There are subtraction levers, numbered decimal markers in front of the keys, and nine windows to show the result in front of the decimal markers. A zeroing handle is on the right side. The machine fits on a wooden stand and has a metal cover painted black.

The machine has serial number F58074. It is marked on a metal plaque screwed to the back of the machine: TRADE COMPTOMETER MARK (/) PAT'D [. . .] (/) Felt & Tarrant Mfg. Co. (/) CHICAGO. It is also marked there with several patent dates, the last of which is; SEP.15.14. It is marked on the front of the metal cover: COMPTOMETER (Pronounced like Thermometer) (/) FELT & TARRANT MFG. CO. (/) CHICAGO. U.S.A. (/) Adds - Divides (/) Multiplies - Subtracts

Reference:

P. A. Kidwell, “American Scientists and Calculating Machines: From Novelty to Commonplace,” Annals of the History of Computing, 12, 1990, pp. 31-40.

This is a two-wheeled steel and nickel-plated brass adding machine. It is stylus-operated and non-printing. The large wheel has 00 to 99 stamped around the edge. The smaller wheel has 0 to 49 stamped around its edge. A ring of holes is inside each ring of numbers. A metal plate covers the outer edges of the two wheels, revealing sums in a small window between them. The numbers 0 to 99 also are stamped around the window for the larger wheel. Numbers are added by rotating the wheels, up to sums of 4999. The carry mechanism is that patented by L. C. Smith (patent 414335). The frame is serrated around the edge, and smooth on the back. A metal piece is attached to the frame at the top. There is a stylus. The machine is marked: “THE ADDER.” It has serial number 549. There are no references to any patent numbers on the device, nor is Webb mentioned. The example comes from the Draper family of New York.

This two-wheeled stylus-operated non-printing adding machine is in a wooden frame. The large brass wheel has a ring of holes and the numbers 00 to 99 stamped around the edge. The numbers 0 to 99 also are stamped around the window for the larger wheel. Numbers are added by rotation of the wheels. Answers are recorded on a pedometer-like dial that has separate windows for ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands. The frame is screwed to the cover plate. There is a stylus. The large wheel is marked: C.H.WEBB. N.Y. It is also marked: “THE ADDER" PATD MARCH 10TH 1868. The back has the serial number: C1053. The dial is a modification of the instrument. It is marked on paper attached over the small wheel: N.Y.STANDARD WATCH COMPANY.

Charles Henry Webb (1834-1905) was a journalist, playwright, poet, and roamer. He patented a second version of this device in 1889. This example was owned by the Draper family of New York.

This full-keyboard, non-printing electric pinwheel calculating machine has six columns of color-coded plastic keys. The rightmost column contains seven red keys marked from 1/8 to 7/8. The two columns left of this have black keys, and the three leftmost columns have white keys. Pushing a fraction key enters the appropriate three-digit decimal equivalent. At the base of each bank of keys is a red clearance key. The underlying keyboard is painted green. The macine has no rods between columns of keys for decimal markers.

Right of the number keys is a red clear key and a red “ADD” key. When the add key is depressed, the keyboard may clear after each operation. Above the clear key are subtraction and addition bars. Left of the number keys is the switch for turning on the motor. The back of the case can be removed to expose the registers.

In back of the keyboard is a movable carriage with 12 windows in the result register. Behind this are six windows for showing digits entered and six windows for the revolution register. Decimal markers are above each register. The two black keys next to the carriage may clear the result and revolution register. At the back of the machine is a place for a motor but no motor. The machine has a black plastic cover.

Marks on metal plates on the right and left sides of the machine and on the cover read: MARCHANT. A metal tag attached to the bottom of the machine has the serial number: ERBF6-1025.

The style of the MARCHANT label on the side of the machine indicates that it dates before 1933. The model ERB was introduced in about 1926. The fractional model was furnished in all models and sizes on special order. The model ERBF6 sold in 1930 and 1931 for about $400.

In the 1950s several manufacturers of full-keyboard adding and calculating machines began to experiment with building machines that had only ten digit keys, carried out all four arithmetic operations, and printed the results. This is an experimental ten-key printing electric calculating machine made by Marchant.

The model has three rows of discs above the keyboard. The first row has nine wheels that show the number entered (only two of these wheels show numbers at present) on a ten-key keyboard. The second row has the 18 wheels for a result register, and the uppermost row has the ten wheels of a revolution counter. There are holes below the registers for decimal markers. The first row of discs shifts as numbers are entered.

The machine has a metal case painted two shades of green and keys in two other shades of green. Right of the number keys are negative multiplication, multiplication, shift, and clear keys. To the left are subtraction, repeat, and addition bars, and dividend, divide, and stop keys. Further to the left is a place for a paper tape, as well as LIST, CALC, subtotal, and total keys. Eleven discs print results. The plastic cover is black.

By 1960 the Marchant Calculating Machine Company had been absorbed and was part of SCM (Smith Corona Marchant) Corporation. When the company wished to introduce a ten-key printing electric calculating machine, it decided to import and rename a machine made by the German firm of Hamann. Dubbed the SCM Marchant TKM, or Tenkeymatic, it sold from about 1960.

This example of the machine has a blue-gray frame, ten keys for entering numbers, and three registers. The register at the top of the machine (Register I) has nine number dials that indicate the number set up most recently using the keyboard.

The two other registers are adjacent to and above the keyboard. On the left is an eight-digit register that serves as a revolution counter (Register II). Right of it are the 16 windows of the result register (Register III). In division, the result register shows the remainder. In front of the registers is the block of square white plastic digit keys, with the zero bar below. To the right are gray plastic addition and subtraction bars, carriage shift keys, a “DIV” key, and a key with an arrow pointing up. To the left of the digit keys are gray plastic keys used in multiplication and clearance.

Above these is a printing mechanism that takes a narrow paper tape (no paper tape survives). Levers between the registers shift decimal markers. A knob on the left side of the machine controls the termination of division according to the number of orders set. A metal handle slides out from the bottom front so one can carry the machine. There are two rubber feet. The other two are missing. The machine has no cord.

“1964 Marchant Calculators and Adding Machine, Price List,” 1963, p. 12. (1984.3084.90). This reference lists the capacity of the machine as 8x9x16. The Government Services Administration price for the Tenkeymatic was $475 plus tax. It is listed as foreign-made.

This full-keyboard, non-printing electric proportional gear calculating machine has a metal case painted black and ten columns of tan and white plastic keys. A maroon clearance key is at the bottom of each column. The underlying keyboard is painted gold. Between banks of keys are metal rods for decimal markers.

Right of the number keys are auto divide and stop keys, subtraction and addition bars, shift keys for use in multiplication, and a reverse key. In front of these are clearance keys for the dials. Right of these is a column of ten keys for automatic multiplication and two carriage shift keys. Left of the number keys is an on-off switch. Above the number keys is a row of ten windows to show a number set up (the decimal markers extend from between the number keys to between these windows).

Behind this register is a movable carriage with an 20-window result register and an 11-window revolution register. Numbers are represented by the rotation of sets of gears on three shafts under the carriage. Sliding decimal markers for the registers on the carriage are provided. Pushing down a lever on the right side of the carriage allows manual movement of it. The motor is at the back of the machine, inside the case. The machine has four rubber feet.

Marks on the right and left sides and on the back read: MARCHANT. A mark on the bottom reads: 10-M-104367. A torn paper label on the bottom reads: silent (/) speed.

The 10M sold from 1935 into the 1940s. In 1939, the GSA price was $552.50, and the regular price was $600 to $650. A service contract was $25/yr at GSA rates. The earliest model 10Ms had serial numbers in the 104,000s.